Furniture spring construction



March 20, 1945. w. A. K ALPAKOFF FURNITURE SPRING CONSTRUCTION FiledSpt. 28, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 flrramvsy.

March 20, 1945. w. A. KALPAKOFF 2,371,825

FURNITURE SPRING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 28, 1942 Sheqts-Sheet 2INVENTOR. W K440411177 g M A March 20, 1945. w. A. KALPAKOFF FURNITURESPRING CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 28, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 R W m K. wk.-mam uM/M n vY. B W. a 2 d 5 Z9 M, '18 a 26 a r Patented Mar. 20, 1945umr o STATES r -TENT OFFICEf FURNITURE. SPRING GONSTRUCHI ON William A.Kalpakofi, Walnut'Park, (lalifl, as-

signor to Percy Solotoy, Los' Angeles, Calif.

Application September 28, 1942, serial No. 459,899

4 Claims;

proposes an arrangement in which the spring seat and/or back structuremay be accomplished by the use of spring slats alone, doing away withhelical and other types ofsprings dependent wholly upon the use ofmetal, these spring slats being adaptable to the use of wood as well asmetal and being also adaptableto single piece or laminated formation.

With the foregoing general objects and statement, the invention willbebetter understood and more thoroughly appreciated, from the fol-- lowingdescription in detail of the best forms thus far devised for carryingthe same into practical effect, and by reference to the accompanyingdrawings, illustrating the same and forming a part of thisspecification. In the drawings .Fig. l is a perspective view showing thespring seat and back construction herein proposed;

. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken therethroughsubstantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

- Fig. 3 is a detail fragmentary viewin perspective of certain partscooperating to form sockets movably receiving the lower ends of theslatsof the spring back support.

Fig. 4 is a detail fragmentary front view of one end portion f the frontupholstery rail.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the seat frameshowing a slightly modi fied arrangement of spring slats.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a portion of the front upholstery railshowing a laminated spring slat.

Fig. 7'is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating a modified arrangementparticularly as to the spring back structure. 7 I

Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional view through the upper portion of thespring backarrangement, taken substantially on line 8'8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a detail perspective view of the upper upholstery rail, andportions of the spring slats, of the arrangement shown in Figs. '7 and8.

Fig. 10 is also a view similar to Fig. 2, but

illustrating a further modified arrangement in both the back and seatelements, taken onthe.

line |0HJ of Fig. 11.

Fig.'11 is a plan view, partly in section,,taken on'the line ll--ll ofFig. 10.

Fig. 12 is a broken, perspective viewof a por- I tion of the back springelement. I

Fig."13 is a vertical, broken sectionshowing-a still further modifiedback element.

Figs. 14 and 15 are sections of modified de-' tails hereinafter. morefully described.

Referring now to the above describedfigures of the drawings, there isshown in Figs. 1 and 2,, a seat frame consisting of side rails Ill and afront rail II, in connection with the lower portion of a back frame,side rails l0 being suitably connected to the'lower ends of; and at asuitable angle to, the upright'side rails 12 of the back frame, whichalso includes spac'edapart lower inner and outer cross rails. I3 and i land a single upper cross rail l5.

Considering first the spring seat arrangement of the seat frame, thereis preferably an intermediate longitudinal rail l6 centrally between,and parallel to, the side rails .lll, which intermediaterail I6 isconnected at its forward end to the front rail H and may be similarlyconnected at its rear end to the lower inner cross rail l3 of the back.

Above and substantially parallel to the front rail H is an upholsteryrail ll, preferably made up of an upper bar 18 and a lower bar I9, thelatter of which is notched at a central point and at its ends, as'at 20,to receive the upper forward ends of spring rail supporting slats 2|.These slats are fixed to the rail I! as by means of screws" and likefastenings 22 drivenupwardl'y into the lower bar l9 as plainly seen inFig, 4..

a The rail ll is supported in a floating position to yield verticallytoward and away from the front frame cross rail II, by reason of theabove supporting slats 2| whose lower rear ends are anchored tosupporting blocks 23 securely fastened on the intermediate seat framerail l6 andlaterally against the inner faces of the seat side'rails ill,at points intermediate the ends of said rails Ill and I6, so that theslats 2! rise forwardly and upwardly at substantial-angles.

Itwill be noted from Fig. 2, that the rear anchored ends of spring slats2| are below the upper surface of the seat frame while theforwardendsthereof, yieldingly supporting the floating rail ll aresubstantially above the seat frame.

' The upper bar ill of the front seat rail l! is of spring seat slats 24whose rear ends extend loosely through the notches of a bar 25 securelyanchored to, and along, the lower inner cross rail I3 of the back, asvplainly seen by a comparison of Figs. 1 and 2. These slats 24 which formthe seating surface of the seat frame, are normally slightly curved andfree to shift lengthwise through the slats of the confining bar as theseating surface yieldsdownwardlyunder load and the floating front seatbar I! is shifted downwardly against the tension of its supporting.

slats 2 I.

Preferably the seat slats 24 are of laminated wood construction. Theymay be of two-ply as in Figs. 1 and 2, or three-ply as seen at 24a inFig. 6, and the layers thereof may be solidly joined from end to end, orso joined only at their rear ends as at 2412 in Fig. 5 where theirforward portions are shown vertically spaced with the upper layersecured in the notchesof bar :18 and-the lower layers secured, alongwith the forward .ends of the supporting slats H in the notches of bar I9.

The spring surface of the back frame, for the yielding support .of theback upholstery, may. consist of a series of curved spring slats 26whose upper ends are securely anchored .at 2.7 in pockets formed in theupper back-rail J5 and whose lower endsare yertically-adjustablydisposed in pockets formed by the matches of a bar 28 secured against.an intermediate. cross rail '29 of the back frame and in .asupplemental pocketed rail .31]. secured .to rail 29. This constructionis plainly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and :3 and is well sprin slats 2| of thefloating front seat rail H.

For this purpose the spring slatsu32 will he secured attheir up er endsto .theinoatins backrail 3| and similarly secured at their; lower endsto a supplem ntal intermediate cross rail'33 of the backirame.

It will be nd r ood that in this modifi d constructi n of back spring.arrahgementiuthe lower endsof th spr nsslats c willbe ve tically slidyadiustable'in the same mann an y th same me ns, as descri ed:inconnection with th structural form of igs/1,2 and; and i i obviousthat in ei her inst-ancet e prin ba k and seat arrangement, as thusfully described in alternate forms, makes it possible .to substitutewood spring members for metal and in fact eliminates all necessity forthe use of metal except for the anchorage and connection or the parts.

In the formation of the resilient slats of laminated construction, it iscontemplated the lam inae y e bent wit g u betwe n them-and held in suchform until the glue dries and hard, ens so that the bent form will thusbe retained, and thus provide for greater stren th than a-single steamedand bent piece. 1

e modified co st uction shown Figs. M te l2 comprises a rear corner-postof a :Erame 5|.

the frame 5| at oppositesidesthereof. 5110:

Su porting block .52 are ,fastened within 2,371,825 notched to receivethe forward ends of a series cessively longer leaves 53, 54 and 55 ofseat springs are screwed upon, the supporting blocks 52. The longestleaves 55 support cross bars 56 and 51 which are fastened cross-wiseupon the ends of such leaves at opposite sides of the points of supportfor the leaves.

A center rail 58 supports a similar series of leaves 53, 54 and 55.Screws 59 fasten the center leaves upon the center rail 58.

Series of bowed slats 60, have their forward 4 ends fastened in placeupon the cross bar 57, by .an upper bar 6|, which is notched to receivethe forward ends of the slats 60 in the manner of the upper bar 18.Screws 62 fasten the upper bar 6.! and the forward ends of slats 60 tothe cross bar 51. The rear ends of the slats 60 are slidable between thecross bar 56 and an upper bar 63 as in the ease of the bar 25. It is tobe understood that the lower face of the upper bar 63 is notchedsimilarly to the bar 25. The upper bar :63 is secured to the crossbar 56by means of screws :64, permitting. longitudinal movement of the rear.ends of the slats tibiae suggested at 65in Fig. 10.

The back memberucomprises a cross rail =66 which supports a plurality ofvertically disposed, superposed leaves .65! .and 68 at opposite sides-ofthe backby having such leaves screwed at their mid-portions .to saidcross rail. A cross bar 168 is fixed to the upper portions of the longerleaves 68 while a slotted cross bar 10 is fastened :to'the lowercindsrof the leaves 68. .Slots "H in the lower c Qss hard-10 receivetheloweriends of ibowecl back slats $12, which havetheir upper .endsfastened to the cross bar 16.9.. The slots H are arranged to re.- ceiyehe lower .ends .of the slats 11.2 as said slats are, flattened by aperson leaning against the back of the chair, davenportorloveseatembodyl.

. ins th present invention.

;- cleat TI is screwed The modified construction shown in Fig. 13comprises a frame 13 haying a rear corner-post 1.4 .ahda fixed crossrail 15. Aseries of slat llli" have their lower ends fastened tov thecross rail 15 and have their-upper ends free, except that a to theupper, free ends of the slats 1.6. 4

Fig. 14 sho s a rail 7:8;which is an alternative construction for raill5,;to which slats iiaret-fas tened. Fig. 15 shows a bar 19 that is analter-- native construction for joining the .slats 24 to a floatingfront rail.

While .I hare illustrated and described what I now regard as thepreferred embodiment of my invention, the construction is, of course,subject to modifications without departing from the spirit and scope ofmy invention. I, therefore, do not" wish to restrict myself to theparticular form of construction illustrated and described, but desire toavail myself of all modifications that :may fall within the scope ofthe. appended claims.

Having thus described my. invention, What I claim and desire :to secureby Letters Patent-is:-

I. An article of furniture including a supporting seat irame ha ingrigidfront and rear cross rails and a series of rigid longitudinal rails, aseries of short flat resilient slats anchored at their rear ends'inconnection*with said longitudinal rails intermediate the -endsof thelatter; a floating rail above and parallelthe front cross rail and towhich the forward ends of said resilient slats ,are secured toresiliently support thefloating rail, ;a series ofspaced parallel seatats offlatresi'lient nature secured at theirforwardends tosaid floatingra'land extending 'lo'n above the same and gitudinal'ly .of the seatframe said first named slats and rearwardly beyond the rear cross rail,and a notched member secured along the rear cross rail and formingtherewith a series of openings in which the rear ends of said seat slatsare longitudinally slidably confined and supported.

2. An article of furniture including a supporting seat frame having afront cross rail and a series of longitudinal rails, supporting blockssecured to said longitudinal rails intermediate the ends of the latter,flat resilient slats anchored attheir rear ends in connection with saidseat blocks and projecting at their forward ends above the front rail, afloating rail above and parallel to the front cross rail and to whichthe forward ends of said resilient slats are secured to resilientlysupport the floating rail, a series of spaced parallel seat slats offlat resilient nature secured at their forward ends to said floatingrail and extending longitudinally of the seat frame above the same andsaid first named slats, said frame having at its rear portion a crossrail, and a notched bar secured to said rear rail, the notches formingpockets through which the rear ends of the seat slats are supported inlengthwise slidable relation.

3. In a resilient seat structure, a seat supporting frame having at itsforward portion a cross rail, upper andllower series of fiat resilientseat slats longitudinally above the frame in laterally spaced relationto form an upper spring seating forward ends of said seat slats arefixed, the upportions of the floating rail separating adjacent ends ofsuperposed slats to cause one series to surface, a floating rail aboveand parallel with the said forward frame rail and to which the per andlower series of slats being respectively secured to the upper and lowersurfaces of said floating rail, means at the rear of the frame formingopenings receiving the rear ends of said slats in superposed relationand in lengthwise movable and laterally confined relation, and a lowerseries of forwardly and upwardly inclined relatively short flatresilient supporting slats fixed at their upper forward ends to thefloating rail and at their lower rear ends within the seat frameintermediate the forward and rear ends of the frame.

4. In an article of furniture, a spring element comprising a supportingmember, fiat, resilient slat means extending from the supporting member,a floating rail spaced from the supporting member and floatinglysupported by the slat,

means, a series of bowed, laterally-spaced, fiat, resilient slatsfastened to said floating rail, a second series oflaterally spaced,fiat, resilient slats fastened to said floatingrail, one series beingsuperposed with respect to the other series and resistfiexing of theother series, and means to receive opposed portions of the slats inlongitudinal shiftable movements of the slats.

1 WILLIAM A. KALPAKOFF.

